Gender Performance, Symbolic Capital, and Power: A Critical Analysis of Parenting Content on Chinese Social Media
Abstract
This study explores how gendered divisions of labor and power relations are shaping parent–child dynamics within contemporary Chinese nuclear families. Drawing on classic sociological theories of family and gender, we examine the traditional roles of mothers as caregivers and fathers as providers, while also considering the profound changes brought about by China’s rapid modernization and the rise of the digital era. Through a two-part research approach, a qualitative content analysis of family parenting videos on social media and in-depth interviews with female adolescents, we sought to understand how these dynamics are performed and perceived from both a public and a private perspective. The findings show that deeply uneven gendered roles persist, with mothers carrying the vast majority of invisible emotional and educational labor, while fathers’ smaller contributions often gain outsized public recognition and "symbolic capital" on social media. Furthermore, the research reveals that children are not passive observers but active participants in the family triangle, often taking on the role of "referee" to manage parental tensions. By linking classic theories with the realities of modern Chinese families, this study offers unique insights into the changing nature of parenting, power, and intimacy in the digital age.
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